Frequently it is desirable to position a computer monitor, other peripheral device, or notebook computer in a place other than directly on top of a desk or table. Thus, a variety of monitor arms exist that support a monitor in a position that is spaced apart from a desk top or wall. The monitor arms may be mounted to the desk top, such as with a clamp that engages the desk top and a vertical post that is inserted into the clamp. Alternatively, the monitor arms may be mounted to a wall or other vertical surface, such as with bolts, a rail system, or track mounts. Existing monitor arms may include multiple arm segments with hinged joints, allowing the user to adjust the arm through a wide range of positions for optimal viewing or usability. Many existing monitor arms also include a mechanism that allows the monitor to be raised and lowered to further optimize the monitor position.
In general, an electrical cable connects a monitor to a power source, and there may also be audio and/or data cable(s) connecting the monitor to a computer or network. It is undesirable to have the cable or cables hanging loose beside the monitor arm, and different solutions have been proposed to manage the cable or cables. For example, a cable may attached to the outside of the monitor arm, making it unsightly, or the cable may be retained least partly within the arm. However, these solutions are fraught with problems relating to managing the cable. While the monitor arm is moved and the arms are pivoted relative to each other, the cable may be stretched, kinked, pinched, worn, or otherwise damaged adjacent to the monitor arm joint or joints.
Therefore, there is a need for a monitor arm assembly with an integral, internal cable raceway. There is also a need for joints between monitor arm assembly segments with an internal passage for a monitor cable wherein the cable can remain without damage while the arm segments are positioned and re-positioned as desired. There is a further need for a monitor arm assembly with an integral, internal cable raceway that allows a cable and plug at the end of the cable to be inserted and removed easily without major disassembly of the monitor arm assembly segments or joints.